Protected pneumatic tire.



No. 87E/,526, PATENTED DEC. s, 1907.

' E. E. LoTAvE.

PROTECTED ENEUMATIG TIRE.

APPILIOAIIONI I-ILED PEB. `11, 1907.

Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. l\ Q frn mmlllllll 1 rl I No. 872,526. PATENTED DEG. 3, 1907. C. G. ILOTAVE. PROTECTED PNEUMATIG TIRE.

APrfLIoATIoN FILED 11.11B. 11, 1907.

mums-SHEET 2.

, accordance with my invention;

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

CARL G. LOTAVE, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWIN R.. COOPER,

' OF DENVER, COLORADO.

PROTECTED PNEUMATIC TIRE.

No. 872,526. 'y

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented. Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed February 11. 19.07. Serial No. 356.818.

T o all whom it 'may concern: y

Be it known that I, CARL G. LoTAvE', a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city and county of Denver andv State of Colorado, have inventeda new and useful Protected Pneumatic Tire for Au'to` mobile and other Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in 'tires for the wheels of automobiles, and other lcan be removed or replaced without disturbing theme.

The inventlon further consists in the man-A ner of holding a tire in an expanded condition by a plurality of plungers, which bear against v `the linner periphery of the tire and upon a 'protected neumatic tube, whereby the tire is held un er the desired expansive tension. The various details of construction by which these. objects are accomplished,y are fully set forth in the accompanying specification and-claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1,-. is

a side elevation, partlyin sectlon, of a or.

tion of an automobile wheel constructe in Fig. 2,"1s a lvertical, transverse, sectionalview thereof.

Fig. 3, is a perspective view of a portion of the circular ring or plate which confines the pneumatic tube within its pocket. a plan view of a portion ofthe wheel felly, showingthe apertures through which the tire supporting plungers pass. Fig.- 5, isa side elevation of one of the tire-supporting luik- 4t e,

gers.' Fig: 6, is a. sectional view throu stem of the plunger, on the line,66-of Fig. 5.' Fi 7, 1s a' perspective' of vthe removab e foot whchis secured'tojthe inner end of each plunger. Fig. 8, is fa" plan view of one of the ball retaining ringswhich encircle the, plungers and are securedI tothe felly. And Fig. 9, is a transverse, :sectional view through a portion of the wheelfelly, showing the manner oflocking the ringto the'pneu.

constructed wheel having a tire Fig. 4 lis cover openings through the ring, and in the matic tube pocket, and also shields which i bottom of the pocket, which permit lateral bulging of the tire under pressure, but prevent puncturing of the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1, indicates the hub of a specially-constructed wheel, and 2, the felly thereof, which is preferably metal, of a' suitable character, and is cast with spoke sockets.3, in which the outer ends ofthe spokesl are secured, the inner ends being secured to the hub in the usual manner. T hefelly of the wheel-is formed with a circular channel or pocket 4, which extends into the felly` from one side, and the bottom of this (pocket L is formed with a plurality of elongate openings or apertures 5. A removable ring or band 6, forms the' opposite side of the 1pocket,

and this ring lis provided with integra lugs 7, having hooked ends, which enter key'fhole slots 8 in the felly, having projecting lips or keepers 9, behind which the hooked ends of the lugs will pass, when the ring is given a slight turn. These lugs are arranged in pairs, as shown in Fig. 9, three or four`of the pairs positioned at equi-distant points around the ring being sufficient, and when the ring is placed over the pocket, with ,its lugs entering the key-hole slots 8, and is given a slight turn, the ring will be locked to the Yfellyin the manner above described, and to prevent the accidental displacement of the ring, av

screw 10, is passed through the ring and into the felly, whereby the ring willl be prevented from turning. The ring is provided with elongated openings or apertures 1'1, which alternate in position, with respect to the other function to be presently mentioned.

vopenings 5 in the pocket 4, asshown in dot. y

Within r.the pocket 4, is housed a'pneu'- g matic tube 12, of the style commonly em# ployed in connection with tires in present iniating tube 13; around the tube-12, isI placedy anouter tube-'14, which isstout and 1 2, this tube 14, being open all .the Way around its-inner surface as shownin Fig. 2,

use, andthis tube is provided with the usual A strong, and'whchentirely incloses the tube r i so that the pneumatic tube may be inserted,

as'- will bereadily understood.

' -The felly'is formed with a circumferential .head, or' fr imll, which extends entirely' around it; and which Wider'at its. outer eX tire.; Asv ...the Wheel;revolves; `l the severalf tremity than Where itlunites' withthe felly,4 plungers. immediately operated by-the con- ;thus giving an undercut form to the sides of tacting portion of the'tire vvithfthe road, will'y the rim, for a purpose gtobe presently eX- beforcedfintona greater'o'r less-extent,- ao' e' plaiued. v- 'y oording as the pressure upon them vis direct 7() Aroundl'theperiphery ofthe rim,:at equiorotherwise, and the balls- 22 Will prevent distant'points, are formed radial' apertures vbinding of thefpliingers iny the'apertures'l, 16,. which extendthroughthe rim andfelly, as the .movement oft e Wheelshiits the pres-l and-into the fellypocket 45"' These apertures sure from a direct line with'their radialv `-are circular, and preferably but a sl1ght dis l'movement'to a line at an angle 4With their g75 tance apart, and eachaperturelhasfour-.verl-movementf tically disposed, semifci'rcular .grooves 17, formed in 'lts periphery, xWhich extend from the outer end oftheA aperture to Within a v short distance vvof its inner end, as shown, and Within each'apertur'e 16',` is placeda plunger' 18, comprising astem portion, the outer endv of which terminates 1n acrescent-shaped .--head 19,` While its inner end extendsinto the fell Delict-4, and is providedvvith a removable'fbot 20, which rests upon thev tube 1 4 surrounding the pneumatic tube. 12. At 4pointscoincidentWiththe grooves 17 of the apertures `16, the plunger stemsare provided JAS the tub'es 1'2 le'rare'compressed fthe' plunger s, they must necessarily bulge "laterally, and'toia'ceommodate this bulging,-

openings 5 and llre'spectively, and in order .to prevent puncturing of the 'tire throughthese openings.- 5 and l11, rings may beem#` ployed .composed of lany suitable light sheet:l metal, fin which are formed a number'of con- 85 cavities27, corresponding to the. number of the openings in the yring 6, and inf the felly,' and these ringsare placed upon"the insidevof the ring 6,v and of the felly, so that the con.-

-2'5yvith'seIm-circularl grooves21, andeach adf -cave portions ivil'l lie Within the openings lof 9 0 "3Q passes, is secured to the 11`Ir 1,\ over` the -ball '45 which form no part ofmypresent invention. f

jacent pair ofl-greoves'lf'Zl forms vaba/lly thering 6,' and Within those of -th'e".felly, as Well, yWhich is filled Withbe'aring balls 22 ,fas plainly-shown in Fig. 9, thus affording ample i sllWngin the. drawings.. 4A- cap 2 3, having. space to accommodate the bulf fed` tubes,fandl an opening through Which t e'plungerst'em at. the same time preventing the' tubes vfrom being punctured. 1' .95 Wells of each-'aperture 16, and-"these caps' In assembling the parts, the footI of each serve-to retain'the ballswithin their Wells; plungeris'fremoved, -jand a. cap23 slipped r Each plunger foot 20,- is lformed` with a upon the'stenr-off't he plunger, land'the stem i Wedge-shapedflu 24,-Which, rits Within al -isjtheninserted in oneof the'apertures 16, correspondingly-s aped groove inthe end ofv the stem, and these feet are removed, asiwill be apparent, `When a stem is inserted inthe rim or Withdrawn therefrom. The'plungers 1 8, are inclose'd Withiny a tire 40 v25', of the usual construction, the loo.f eyedges of which `lie against the under-cut sides of the rim 15,.as' clearly shown in Brig. 2, 4andthe foot 1s then replaced upon. the end of :the stern, vthe plunger isturned'to the position shown in'F 1g.2, when its grooves 2],'Wi11 register ,With the grooves. 17of the apertures 1 6, lthusformi'ng the Wells for-the bearing balls 105 22. Th sewells are then 4iilledyvith'tlie. balls,:a`nd the ca 23 iss'crewed to the rim 1 5: When all the pllungers havebeen thus arranged, the pneumatic tube A1 2 is placed'with Theun er-cut sides of the rim, in conjunc- Within, the po'cket'liv 'of the felly; lthe rmg, tion with the cIenChers, securely hold the isthensecure'd upon the side of the-felly overv f edges of the tire, Which are preferably wedgef the pocket in the manner` before' described, sha/pd 1n crosssection as shown.

and the tire 25 isplaced overthe lun ers en the tube 12 is inflated Withairuni 'der the` desired pressure,.the plungers Will be forced out, so that their crescent-shaped 'heads .will bear"against the inner periphery fof the tire 25, an thus hold its bearing sur- 26. `The pneumatic tube 12 1s 4then inflated, 4thereby forcing out: the plungers, which eX- pand the 'tire'and hold it in .an expanded condition and thevvheel isthen ready for face'r under the requireddegree4 of tension, use. As the tirecontacts with the ground120 theoutline-of the-tire being' eonformedt vthe whenthe Wheel is in motion, the plungers-l shape ofthe plunger heads, and as the plunimmediately inv the line of pressure varef gers are posltloned .close together, their pressed against the' air tube,which cushions eads will vsup ort` practically* the ent-ire f their movement and'linstantaneo'usly retread surfaceo the tire so that as the tire stores them. to their extendedv positions,^125

contacts .with the road, the space between When the contact pressure from Without is -theplun er heads being so short, no ilatsurremoved, thereby'aifording the same amount faceswil result upon the tread of the tire, of resiliency as is'sec'ured in tires as at pres-l and the Wheel will run as smoothly-as when {ent'employed .The efficiency of the outer 65 provided with the .usual forni of pneumatic l tire is not lessened by a puncture orby sev- 13 0 thefellyand the ring-6 are provided with the 8c.

enter-s thepocket 4 iIflA the felly; The '100.|

the outer tube"14,'and thesetubes placed 1 10 and securedv'to-the rim l5 bythe c eno `ers.y v1 1'5- .eral punctures, andthe pneumatic tire is so completely housed and protected that the chances ofits 'being-punctured are practihollow felly, rovided withv elongated openlv The combination with la Wheel having a ings in one si e, aremovable side to said elly having elongated openings, and means for locking said side to s aid Jelly, of a pneumatic tubein said felly,ja hollow-tire removably secured to a projecting rim of said felly, and plungers extending through radial apertures. 1n said rim and restingupon'the pneumatic n tube, their outer -ends extending into and bearing against the inner peripheryv of .the tire.'

2.v The combination with a wheel having a hollow'felly, 'provided with a rojecting, under-cut rim, of a pneumatic tube in said Jelly a.` hollow tire secured upon the rim, of said felly; plungerscomprising stems having semi-clrcular heads which extend into said tire, said stems extending through radial apertures'in-said rim, 4and being provided with y removable feet-Which rest u on the neu-l matic tube; anti-frictionbear1ng balls 1n the rim in vContact with said plunger stems, and caps orpreventing the escape of said balls.

3'. The combination with a Wheel, having a' Ihollow e'lly, a pneumatic tube in said felly,

and a hollow tire removably secured tosaid felly, of-plungers havingstems whiehfextend 'v through radial slots in the elly rim and rest upon the vpneumatic tube, and semi-circular heads, which extend into the tire, said stems being' formed with semi-circular, longitudinally-disposed grooves, which register with similar grooves in the side of the radial apertures to form pockets;' anti-'friction balls in said pockets,l and caps surrounding the stems and`secured to the rim for retaining the balls. 4. 'The' combinationwitlr a Wheel having. a hollow felly, one side of which is removable vand is provided with elongated o enings, the

fixed side being provided withV li e openings,

ot a pneumatic ltube in said hollow felly; a

hollow tire removably secured-to `said felly;

plungers resting-on said pneumatic tire and extendingthrough radial apertures in the felly rim, and in-to the tire; -anti-friction balls in contact with said plungers, and circular plates formed with concavities which-fit into.

thel elongated openingsin the sides of the fely, and permit bulging of the pneumatic tu e.

.In testimony whereoi` I a'flix my signature in presence of two witnesses. Y

' CARL G. LOTAVE.

Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT,- ADELLA M. FowLE.- 

